6
S I X T H
R U N N I N G
I N
T H E
G R A D E
R A I N
Ana Cormac
“Boom!” The car door shuts as the smell of wet pavement surrounds me. We are in the middle of a drought, but the clouds are bawling. I take one step inside of my house and shiver. Immediately, I sprint as fast as Usain Bolt to the kitchen, open the cupboard next to the pantry, and stand on my highest tip-toes. Still, my fingers hit nothing but air. Suddenly, I feel as if I am lifted up to the clouds and into the rain. I shoot my head back and see my mom’s face smiling as I wiggle my toes. I quickly pick out my mug, then leap out of my mother’s arms. “Mix it up in the pot. What ya’ got? Hot choc-o-late!” I sing as I dance around the kitchen. “I just love rainy days!” I exclaim. I pour the hot chocolate mix into my cup, but it flies all over my uniform. “Oh my goodness!” Mom says, staring at me as I fill up my cup with hot water and begin to stir. “Why don’t you go get your brother, I’ll grab Pickles, and we can take a walk in the rain?” She walks away, laughing at my hot chocolate covered uniform. I skip to my room to change my uniform, then run to tell my brother what’s happening, and finally go back to the kitchen. I pick up my hot chocolate. I stir it one more time for good measure. I scoop the spoon into my mug and lift it to my mouth. “Oww!” I screech, my tongue dipped in chocolate lava. I put down the drink and sprint to my parents’ room. “C’mon Mom, let’s go!” I tell my mom impatiently. She grabs Pickles, our dog. “C’mon Dylan!” My mom screams at my brother through the hallway, but I am already at the front door waiting for my family. “Okay, okay, I’m here.” my brother says as he makes his way to the front door. The look on his face tells me that he is annoyed. Click. My mom puts my dog’s leash on.
Ding. I press the button to open the gate.
Swoosh. My brother pulls the gate open, and I’m off! Leaping, jumping, running. I’m a bolt of energy storming through the clouds. As I dance through the rain, I can hear the barks of my dog and the voice of my brother, “Ana, wait up!” I keep twirling. I’m just enjoying my time in the rain because we have so little of it here. I pause, look back, and smile.
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